Nature as culture: What can we learn from theAvatar movies

Avatar is a science fiction film released in 2009, directed by James Cameron. The film is set in the mid-22nd century and follows a group of humans who are sent to Pandora, a moon of the planet Polyphemus in the Alpha Centauri star system, to mine a valuable mineral called unobtanium. The humans are at odds with the native Pandora inhabitants, the Na’vi, who are a humanoid species with a strong connection to nature. The film explores themes of environmentalism, imperialism,and intercultural conflict.

The sequel to Avatar, called Avatar: The Way of Water, was released in 2021. It is set several years after the events of the first movie and follows the character Jake Sully as he continues to explore Pandora and learn more about the Na’vi culture. The sequel also explores themes of environmentalism and the relationship between humans and nature, as well as the conflict between the Na’vi and a group of human mercenaries. In the movie, the characters confront the consequences of the actions taken in the first film and must find a way to coexist with Pandora’s native inhabitants.

One of the main conflicts in both movies is the tension between the human desire to exploit Pandora’s resources and the Na’vi’s desire to protect their home and way of life. In both Avatar and Avatar 2, the concept of sustainability is an important theme that is explored through the relationship between the human characters and the native inhabitants of Pandora, the Na’vi. The Na’vi live in harmony with the environment, while the humans are driven by the pursuit of profit and resources, and are willing to exploit Pandora’s natural resources without regard for the impact on the planet or its native inhabitants. The humans are willing to do whatever it takes to extract this resource, including destroying large areas of Pandora’s landscape and displacing the Na’vi, who have lived on Pandora for thousands of years. The human characters must learn to respect and appreciate the Na’vi’s way of life and find a way to coexist with them and the planet in a sustainable way. Through the course of the movies, the characters come to understand the importance of preserving the natural world and have a sensible understanding of the environment as something sacred (close comparison with metabolist movement 1960s).

The Na’vi, have a deep spiritual connection to Pandora and the natural world. They believe that they have a responsibility to protect and preserve the environment. The Na’vi see their lives as a connected arthroisma of functions and responsibilities towards the natural world and do not believe in exploiting the planet’s resources for personal gain. The ‘tree of life’ in Pandora forest as well as the analogues ‘coral of life’ in the sequel movie is the closest connection to Eywa or the Great Mother, the creator of all things according to Na’vi. The tree, therefore is of highly spiritual value which connects people to all the souls of the planet through its roots and showcases that there is no beginning and no ending but life is rather a collective journey where we are all one. This is the result of incorporating the Na’vi ‘nature as culture’, where people adopt a circular and humble lifestyle that prioritizes the eventual connection with the natural environment and of course the survivability. They are sensitive about their interactions with the natural environment, the input and the output of which will determine their survival in a meaningful way. This culture of survival is opposed to the culture of progress that is evident throughout the modern human history, especially since the industrial revolution and after both world wars. Instead of prioritizing the harmonious co-existence with the natural world and between themselves, human insistence, greed as well as the unnecessary strive for inessential progress and technology led to new levels of exploitation. Essentially, this exploitation is fueled by the vast demands of the modern capitalist society and the ever-developing consumerism culture, where the balance between the human and nature needs is completely lost. In contrast with the Na’vi lifestyle, there is a constant struggle about the content of progress instead of limiting your needs and being critical on new technologies.

Throughout both movies, the main character, Jake Sully, comes to understand and appreciate the Na’vi way of life and the importance of preserving the natural world. He learns that the humans’ pursuit of profit and resources has caused harm to Pandora and its inhabitants, and that it is important to find a way to coexist with the planet in a sustainable way. In the end, Jake chooses to side with the Na’vi and helps

In the Avatar movies, Pandora is depicted as a world with a highly advanced and sustainable society. As mentioned earlier, the Na’vi people live in harmony with their natural environment, using renewable energy sources and traditional building techniques that minimize their impact on the land, while human characters are shown as exploiting Pandora’s resources and disrupting the balance of the ecosystem. One of the key themes of the book “The Greening of Architecture” is the importance of designing buildings and cities in a way that minimizes their environmental impact and promotes sustainability. The book discusses a range of strategies and technologies that can be used to achieve this goal, including the use of biomimicry, passive solar design, and renewable energy sources let’s see where these are evident in the Avatar movies.

One of the most prominent sustainable features in Pandora is the use of biomimicry, which is the practice of designing buildings and other infrastructure using principles derived from nature. The architecture of Pandora is designed using principles derived from nature, with buildings constructed using natural materials and designed to blend seamlessly into their surroundings. This aligns with the concept of biomimicry, which involves designing buildings and infrastructure using natural principles and organic functions. Biomimicry can be used to create more sustainable built environments by reducing the use of energy and materials, and minimizing the impact of construction on the natural environment. The Na’vi houses, for example, are built using a variety of natural materials such as wood, stone, and plant fibres, blending coherently with the environment.

The architecture of Pandora also incorporates principles of passive solar design, with buildings oriented to maximize the use of natural light and heat, and equipped with shading devices and analog technology to regulate temperature. Pandora’s buildings are designed to make use of natural light and heat and reduce the need for artificial heating and cooling. This aligns with the origins of green primitive architecture, which involves designing